Garden Planner, Jan. 25

Jan. 24, 2014

Written by

Stephanie Bruner

Special to the Register

This week

• Check the stems and trunks of new trees and shrubs to make sure rabbits aren’t nibbling on them, and erect a barrier if you do see damage.

• Check the soil moisture before you water houseplants. Dry indoor air can cause them to dry out quickly, but they’re not using as much moisture in the winter, when they’re not actively growing. You don’t want them sitting in too-wet soil (or standing water in a plant saucer), as it can cause roots to rot.

• Turn your houseplants to keep them from getting lopsided. While you’re at it, check the stems and undersides of leaves for scale insects or spider mites.

• Plan your vegetable garden. Pick a sunny day and measure your space, so you know exactly what you’ve got to work with. Use graph paper to plot what goes where — make sure to leave some room to get between the plants, and arrange rows so that taller plants, like sweet corn, don’t shade smaller vegetables.

This month

• February and March are the best months to prune most shade trees. Some, such as maple and elm, may bleed a lot of sap, but this won’t hurt the tree.

• Don’t prune spring-flowering shrubs now unless you absolutely have to. By doing so, you will be cutting off this spring’s flowers.

• Get your garden seed orders in soon — new and interesting varieties of flowers and vegetables often sell out quickly.

• Brighten your house with a pot of spring bulbs, available at garden centers, grocery stores and big box stores. They’ll bloom for a week or so in a sunny window, and some, like hyacinths, will fill a room with spring-like fragrance.

Stephanie Bruner is a freelance writer from Des Moines who has a degree in horticulture.